Assam Reportedly Lurching Towards Lockdown amid COVID-19 Crisis

Dispur, March 23, 2020:

Amid the ongoing cronavirus or COVID-19 crisis that has put the entire world community on edge, there are murmurs that the State of Assam could be lurching headlong towards a lockdown as a preventive measure.

Later today, at 5 pm, the Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is expected to make a series of important announcements in the midst of the worst health crisis in recent memory. It may be mentioned here that the janata cufew that was imposed yesterday in Assam (from 7 am to 9 pm) was extended in Assam till 8 am in the morning, today. Further, inter-state transit (barrings vehicles carrying goods) have been shut down.

Meanwhile, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed the people of India to take these lockdowns seriously as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the world.

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One day after the nationwide janata (or people's) curfew, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lamented that people are not taking the lockdown in the country seriously. In a tweet, Modi appealed to the people to save their family members and themselves by strictly adhering to the directions being given by the State and Central Governments. He requested the State Governments to make people adhere to the lockdown. Modi's tweet read, "लॉकडाउन को अभी भी कई लोग गंभीरता से नहीं ले रहे हैं। कृपया करके अपने आप को बचाएं, अपने परिवार को बचाएं, निर्देशों का गंभीरता से पालन करें। राज्य सरकारों से मेरा अनुरोध है कि वो नियमों और कानूनों का पालन करवाएं।" [Many people are not taking the lockdown seriously. Kindly save yourselves, save your family, follow the instructions seriously. It is my request to the State Governments to make people adhere to the instructions]

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Earlier, it was announced that neighboring Arunachal will impose a lockdown later today, at 5 pm. Via an order dated March 22, the Health and Family Welfare Department has listed a set of directives to be followed by the people till March 31

Firstly, all public transport services have been banned, except transport to and from hospitals and other essential places. All shops and commercial establishments have also been given directions to close down. People have been directed to stay at home and do only basic activities. Furthermore, all inter-state transport has been closed down, in a bid to dissuade the spread of the virus.

As of 10 a.m. on Monday, India had 415 confirmed cases of Covid-19, including seven people who succumbed to the disease. According to latest data from the government’s Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) a total of 18,383 samples from 17,493 individuals have been tested for SARS-CoV2.

Meanwhile, the government of India has directed the state governments to impose strict lockdowns across the country, in a bid to curtail the further spread of coronavirus. States have also been directed to take legal action against violators.

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